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People like to hibernate in the winter. It’s cold out, it gets darker earlier; it’s the time of year one would rather snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie. Ironically, however, winter also happens to be a season filled with holiday parties, family get togethers, weddings, and a lot of photos for proof of getting together. These photos will be plastered on Facebook, Instagram and basically anywhere else photos can be uploaded these days; a scary thought for someone who tends to dislike how they look in pictures.
Here’s a tip…makeup can make all the difference.

Because the Nassau Inn will host of many of these wondrous affairs, we wanted to give their guests and brides a few tips on how to nail their makeup and look great in every photo snapped in their direction.

1. First things first, the same shade of lipstick, eye shadow, etc., does not look the same all year round. Just because you like the way a certain color looks in the summer, does not mean it will flatter you come winter. Check out How is the Sunlight Affecting Your Makeup?.

2. If you read the above article, you now understand that winter has a lot of that not-so-flattering blue light, which brings more attentions to things you’d like to cover up, i.e. red spots, dark under-eye circles. Winter is the time of year to pull out highlighters and light-reflective foundations.

4. It’s natural to lose your tan in the summer, so don’t over-do it with the bronzer. To add some color to your face, use some blush.

5. Go for the dark lip. Just do it.

6. Use waterproof mascara. It’s great for any occasion, especially if there’s any snow in the forecast.

7. Now that you know the tips to great winter makeup, don’t forget that before the makeup comes the foundation. If your skin is dry and cracked, the makeup won’t look good, regardless of color. Check out 5 Easy Ways to Keep Your Skin Hydrated This Winter.

For decades, the colossal conifer rising above Palmer Square has brightened downtown and the spirits of the community every holiday season. Its heights, lights, and decorations draw as many as 80,000 annual visitors. However, there’s a lot more to this spectacular centerpiece than just its dazzling brilliance. From World War II to the world’s greatest tree lighting ceremony, let’s get to the “root” of the most iconic tree in Princeton.

A Token of Appreciation

In 1945, as a token of appreciation for donating his 195-foot steel schooner for commission in World War II to patrol and protect the shores of Iceland, Sveinn Björnsson, the nation’s first president, personally presented Edgar Palmer with quite literally the most beautiful Norway Spruce in all of Scandinavia. A gold collar around the lower trunk bore the inscription: “Megi þetta tré vernda lendir leið skipi sem er varið þín og okkar”; translated: “May this tree protect your lands the way your ship protected ours.” During that time period, the Nordic custom of gifting evergreens to close friends and allies was equivalent to being knighted – an honor of which Edgar Palmer was very proud. He immediately made arrangements to have the tree planted on the green at Palmer Square. Furthermore, while it stood only at a mere 10-feet tall at the time, it had the magnificence and beauty of a tree more than 10 times its size.

Einstein’s Marilyn

In the late 1940’s, Albert Einstein invited his last great love, Marilyn Monroe, to visit his home in Princeton. When he took her to Palmer Square, Marilyn stopped at the tree and expressed how incredibly beautiful she thought it was. Einstein concurred and said, “It’s possibly the most beautiful tree I’ve ever seen.” He paused for a moment and then revealed, “It’s so beautiful, in fact, that I even named it.”

“Named it what?” she kindly asked.

“Marilyn,” he replied.

Some believe it was at that moment in which one of the most unlikely love stories began. Whatever the case, to this day, long time locals still refer to the tree as Marilyn.

Topping the Charts

While it’s widely believed that the timeless hit Christmas song ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ was inspired by the annual tree lighting extravaganza at Rockefeller Center, songwriter Johnny Marks revealed to legendary DJ, Cousin Brucie, that he actually got the idea in Princeton. “I remember seeing this truly, truly amazing tree in the center of town,” Marks recounted. “Crowds of people were gathered around it, singing and dancing as if Elvis Presley or Chuck Berry was about to come out from inside the branches. I thought to myself, “Wow! These people are really rockin’ around the Christmas tree.” Seeing all that holiday spirit around that tree gave me such a sentimental feeling that the song (Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’) just began pouring out of me.”

When it was all said and done, it took Johnny Marks all but an hour to write both the lyrics and music to ‘Rockin Around the Christmas Tree’. The following year in 1958, Brenda Lee (AKA Little Miss Dynamite) recorded the song and took it to the top of the charts. Almost 60 years later, the timeless hit is still an essential track for any respectable holiday playlist.

Fit for a Princess

In 1956, the Prince of Monaco planned to surprise his new wife, actress Grace Kelly, with a Christmas celebration fit for a princess. She was to have the best of everything – including the most spectacular Christmas tree that money could buy. Having once pursued Marilyn Monroe as a possible wife, the prince was aware of a particular tree in Princeton, NJ that was deemed so amazing that the late genius, Albert Einstein, named it in Marilyn’s honor. The Prince was so bent on obtaining this tree, he practically wrote a blank check in exchange for it. Unfortunately for the Prince, no amount of money was acceptable, as Edgar Palmer left very clear instructions that the tree was never to leave its home for any reason.

Evel Comes to Princeton

By the mid-1960’s, Marilyn – the tree, that is – had grown to be over 40 feet tall. At the same time, a young daredevil under the moniker of Evil Knievel made a name for himself by jumping over rows of cars on his motorcycle. Nevertheless, the novelty of jumping cars had run thin, and he needed to think of something more dangerous to excite the media. Then, on a fateful visit to downtown Princeton in 1966, he saw Marilyn. She was tall, beautiful, and perfectly placed to be jumped by motorcycle. So, on the Friday after Thanksgiving of that year, Evel rang in the holiday shopping season with a tree lighting ceremony and high flying spectacle that Princeton would not soon forget. Not only was his jump over Marilyn a success, but the crowds and excitement that it drew cemented the Friday after Thanksgiving as the standing date for all future tree lighting ceremonies. As for Evel, he went on to jump everything from Caesars Palace to the Grand Canyon – breaking every record and bone in his body throughout his motorcycle stunt career.

Who Climbed the Tree?

In the 1970’s, Keith Moon, drummer for The Who, was out with his alumni friends during Princeton reunions week. After a long night of partying, the bars had already closed, but Moon was still hankering for a drink with his friends. He insisted that they return to his favorite watering hole in Princeton, the Yankee Doodle Tap Room, where a barstool was always on reserve for him. Despite the doors being locked, Moon spent an hour arguing with his friends about getting inside the bar, while maintaining that the door was merely jammed. When his friends tried to physically remove him from breaking into the building, he escaped their grips and made a mad dash for the tree, aka Marilyn. He quickly scaled to the top of the tree and refused to come down until the Yankee Doodle Tap Room reopened. As the story goes, his friends tried to get him down, but eventually, they gave up. The police and fire department even arrived on the scene to respond to complaints of someone yelling and singing from the tree outside. Despite heroic efforts by Municipal authorities, it was concluded that there was no safe way to remove Mr. Moon, so they were forced to wait the night out with him. A few hours later, the manager of the Yankee Doodle Tap Room notified authorities that the bar had reopened. Although excited, Moon was concerned that he would get arrested if he came down from the tree. So he yelled out to the authorities and said, “If I come down now, are you going to let me get a drink, or are you going to arrest me? If it’s the latter, I’ll just stay here forever!” The police knew that Edgar Palmer would not want Keith Moon as a permanent ornament in his prized tree, so they let him get a drink before taking him into custody. However, he was only charged with disturbing the peace and was quickly released. Immediately after, he returned to his stool at the Yankee Doodle Tap Room, but did not settle in until after he poured a drink on the soil beneath Marilyn, thanking her for her hospitality and nice place to stay the previous night.

Note: For entertainment purposes, the author of this blog may have taken certain creative liberties.

Black Friday is fast approaching, and in Palmer Square, you’re bound to discover countless sales and killer finds you’ll want to purchase for your family and friends.

While the many shops at Palmer Square will be offering incredible deals that you might not believe, here are some historic facts about ‘Black Friday’ that are pretty unbelievable too.

The “Black Friday” tradition likely began in the 1920’s when department stores such as Macy’s and Eaton’s threw Thanksgiving Day parades to whet the appetites of consumers for a holiday shopping feast.

It was an unwritten rule that no store would try doing any holiday shopping advertising before the parades were over, making the day after Thanksgiving the official start of the holiday shopping season.

The term “Black Friday” first surfaced in 1951 to describe the practice of workers calling in sick on the day after Thanksgiving in order to have a four-day weekend.

Around the same time in Philadelphia, the term was used by police, cabbies, bus drivers, and retail workers to to depict the horde of shoppers that descended into the city on the days following Thanksgiving.

In the 1980’s, “Black Friday” was marketed to have gotten its name as being the day on which retailers finally began to show a profit for the year (in accounting terms, moving from being “in the red” to “in the black”) after operating at an overall loss from January through mid-November.

Many merchants disliked the negative connotation of the phrase ‘Black Friday’ and tried to rebrand it as ‘Big Friday’.

The success of “Black Friday” inspired merchants to invent new shopping holidays such as Super Saturday and Cyber Monday.

When most people think of a Princeton Thanksgiving, the first thing that comes to mind is spending joyous time with family and feasting on culinary delights such as as golden-roasted turkey, fluffy stuffing, tangy cranberry sauce, and whipped cream on top of pumpkin pie at the historic Yankee Doodle Tap Room.

Wherever you spend your Thanksgiving, here are 10 fun Thanksgiving Day facts to think about and share with your family and friends as you dig into this year’s turkey:

Since 1947, the president has pardoned a live turkey every Thanksgiving and allows it to live out its days on a historical farm.

The first Thanksgiving was a moment for the Pilgrims to thank God for allowing them to kill enough game and grow sufficient crops to get through the winter.

Wild turkeys can fly in short bursts at speeds up to 55 MPH.

Now a Thanksgiving dinner staple, cranberries actually were used by Native Americans to treat wounds and dye clothing. They did not eat them.

The Thanksgiving Day football tradition began with Yale and Princeton, who played their first game in 1876 and drew yearly crowds of 40,000 to see them duke it out.

The tradition of breaking a wishbone for good luck started with the Romans.

So consumed with passion for the turkey and its respectful stature, it is said that Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey become the United States national bird. However, the bald eagle, which Franklin thought had a “bad moral character” won out.

St. Patrick’s Day might get the press, but the day before Thanksgiving is the biggest day for bar and liquor sales in the U.S., also ahead of the Super Bowl or New Years’ Eve.

The first national Thanksgiving was declared by President George Washington in 1789 – although it didn’t stick until Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation in 1863.

Considered the “Mother of Thanksgiving,” Sara Hale (1788-1879) was an influential editor and writer who urged President Lincoln to proclaim a national day of thanksgiving. She selected the last Thursday in November because, as she said, harvests were done, elections were over, and summer travelers were home.

All over Princeton University, colorful, interesting and some mystifying pieces of art liven up the campus environment. And, while passersbys appreciate the art that surrounds them, the looming question, ‘What does it mean?’ often crosses the minds of observers.

From the giant fountain in front of Scudder Plaza to the huge, color-laden stained glass display outside of the art museum, all the way to the ‘emerald green thing’ between Stanhope Hall and West College, each piece of art adorning the campus has its own backstory – some of which we hope to explain a little bit about in this blog segment.

(Any) Body Oddly Propped (2015)

Created by artists Mike and Doug Stern

Made from glass, steel, and bronze

Located on the front lawn of the Princeton University Art Musuem

Inspired by energy systems found in nature

Invites visitors to linger amidst the sculpture and experience it under constantly shifting light conditions

Cubi Xiii traveled widely between the years of 1964-1969 before finding a home at Princeton Univeristy

Smith polished the stainless steel so that it would reflect the color of its surroundings

One in a series of 28 sculptures. One sold for over $23.8 million

Centaur (1954)

Created by artist Dimitri Hadzi (1921-2006)

Located in the Prospect Gardens

Installed in 1971

Made from cast bronze

Inspired by Hadzi’s lifelong interest in mythology

His work is in the collections of many major museums, among them the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

The fountain was commissioned by President Robert F. Goheen, a classicist, when Prospect House was still home to the University’s president

Public Table (1979)

Created by artist Scott Burton (1939-1989)

Located between East Pyne Hall & Murray-Dodge Hall

Made from cast concrete

Installed in 1998

Burton’s work has been described as “sculpture in love with furniture”

It’s an actual usable table where students and passersby can socialize or study

Based on an identical example in the sculpture garden at General Mills in Minneapolis, MN

Burton believed that “art should place itself not in front of, but around, behind, and underneath the audience.”

Oval with Points (1970)

Created by artist Sir Henry Moore (1898-1986)

Located between Stanhope Hall and West College

Made from bronze

Installed in 1971

Said to have been inspired by an elephant’s skull

The appearance of the sculpture changes when viewed from various angles. Some see resemble a face and as you walk further around, the face will contort like a comedy/tragedy masks on a theater façade.

There are other casts of the work in Kew Gardens and Columbus Museum of Art

Head of a Woman (1971)

Originally created by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

Located between Spelman Halls and New South Building

Installed in 1971

Artist, Carl Nejar executed the sculpture from a 12-inch maquette that Picasso had completed in 1962

The sculpture is intended to depict the essence of the female form

Carl Nejar was often referred to as Picasso’s right arm

The sculpture is nearly 16’ high

The Hedgehog and the Fox (2000)

Created by artist Richard Serra (1939)

Located between Lewis Library and Fine Hall

Made from Core-Ten steel

Installed in 2000

The title of the sculpture refers to an essay “The Hedgehog & the Fox” by Isaiah Berlin that points to how scholars become free thinkers and invent or become subjugated to the dictates of history.

The sculpture is 94 feet long and 15 feet high and invites visitors to walk through it

It is said that ‘without interaction with the piece, there is no piece’

Summer may be coming to a close, but picnic season is far from over! Pack a blanket and a wicker basket full of snacks, sandwiches, and champagne because we’ve put together some of the best picnic spots from across Princeton.

Princeton Battlefield Park

A unique blend of American history and natural beauty can be found in the open fields of Princeton Battlefield State Park. When you’re done whiling around, feel free to take a leisurely hike through the adjacent Institute Woods.

D&R Canal

The banks of the D&R Canal make for a lovely, leafy spot from which to watch canoers and kayakers. The area is a hive of activity most weekends. You can even have a picnic in a canoe.www.dandrcanal.com

Marquand Park

Abundant with woodland, forest glades, and meadows, Marquand Park provides plenty of lush spots for those planning a leisurely picnic away from the hustle and bustle of Nassau Street.www.marquandpark.org

Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve

Often referred to as Princeton’s “Central Park”, this 75 acre patch of greenery has wide appeal. There are countless beautiful spots within the park to set yourself down and enjoy your food. With a variety of trails traversing the preserve, you can start or end your day with a scenic
hike.www.nynjtc.org/park/mountain-lakes-nature-preserve

Do you believe in ghosts? Princeton is one of those places where skeptics cross the threshold and start saying yes. Mysterious lights, strange presences, and ghostly figures have made Princeton a ghost hunter’s paradise.

Nestled between New York and Philadelphia, the small town of Princeton is steeped in history. From the Lenape Native Americans, to the British settlement, to the Revolutionary War, to our world famous university, the paranormal footprint left behind here by the people and events of centuries past isn’t too difficult to find.

“You may think you know Princeton well, but there’s a lot more than meets the eye,” said Mimi Omiecinski, owner of Princeton Ghost Tours. “Many people just find Princeton way too beautiful to leave, even after death.”

Ghostly sightings and experiences have been noted in just about every part of town, including here at the Nassau Inn and the Yankee Doodle Tap Room, where dozens of apparitions have been accounted for throughout the course of two and half centuries.

Nick Ballas, Director of Rooms at the Nassau Inn, reported on several occasions of having heard strange noises, seen bizarre figures, and, while staying overnight, witnessed a translucent woman in a white dress floating up the stairs from the 2nd to 3rd floor. “It was both spooky and mesmerizing at the same time,” Ballas recounted.

“The fifth floor is where some of the eeriest stories come from,” remarked a front desk attendant at the Nassau Inn. “There were several instances where guests called down with concerns of hearing constant chatter from disembodied voices. A few guests also described feelings of being hugged by an invisible stranger.”

As a regular stop along the Princeton Ghost Tour route, Mimi Omiecinski knows first-hand that the Nassau Inn is a hotbed of oddities and anomalies. “It’s not just a bunch of kooky ghost stories,” she explained. “We have evidence that they are here.”

You don’t have to take Omiecinski’s word for it, though. She proves the presence of ethereal beings by providing her tour groups with dowsing rods, EMF detectors, and therma-meters.

“Ghosts don’t always announce their presences with scents, sounds or slime,” said Omiecinski. “Ghosts, by their ethereal nature, tend to be a tad elusive. But, with this equipment we can locate, and often communicate with the other side.”

And, Princeton purportedly has quite the cast of famous specters in the area to communicate with. George Washington, John Witherspoon, and Albert Einstein are among the many celebrity spirits associated with Princeton that are believed to frequent the surrounding shops, residences, hotels, and university.

“Princeton has all the right features conducive of paranormal activity,” said Omiecinski. “The historic buildings are conduits of energy that spirits draw from.You can bet that ghosts like George Washington and Albert Einstein are dropping by Nassau Hall, the McCarter Theater, and the Yankee Doodle Tap Room all the time.”

No matter what you believe about ghosts and the afterlife, one thing is certain – the historic town of Princeton has a lot more odd, unexplained activity than most other places in the world. And, while we don’t guarantee a ghost sighting when you book a room with us, taking a Princeton Ghost Tour should be on your to-do list while you’re here. “Not only is it great time for adults and children alike,” said Omiecinski. “But, what you’ll hear is true and what you’ll see is real.”

If you’ve ever explored the open campus of Princeton University, you may have found yourself in awe of the gloriously designed landscape that’s older than the United States itself. The architectural history is so vast and filled with such variety that it was once described as being “a beautiful sculpture garden for famous architects’ buildings”. Easily within walking distance from our front door, it seems only right to share some of what we know about these beautiful structures and the architects behind them.

Nassau Hall (1754-56)

Fun Facts About the Building

Built 1754-56 by architect Robert Smith

Georgia Colonial style

Named after: King William III of the House of Nassau.

At the time, it was the largest stone structure in North America

It is the oldest building at Princeton University.

It was possessed by both American & British troops during the Revolutionary War.

It suffered from fires in 1802 and 1855.
Fun Facts About the ArchitectNassau Hall was the 3rd building he designed in the colonies.

Other important works include St. Peter’s Church, Benjamin Franklin’s House, Carpenter’s Hall, and Walnut Street Prison (all in Philadelphia).

During the revolutionary war, he produced designs for military architecture to protect Philadelphia from British attack.

President’s House/Maclean’s House

Fun Facts About the Building

Built 1754-56 by architect Robert Smith

Philadelphia Georgian Style

Named after John Maclean, Jr. – founder of the Alumni Association and the last president to occupy the house throughout his administration.

10 University Presidents & 7 Deans lived here.

Prospect House

Fun Facts About the Building

It was an 18th century home rebuilt 1850-52 by architect John Notman

Italianate style

Woodrow Wilson lived here before he became governor of NJ & President of the United States.

It was donated to the college in 1878.

Dignitaries such as Theodore Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and Truman have been entertained at the house.

It is one of the best preserved early Italianate villas in the country.

Fun Facts About the Architect

Also known for NJ State Lunatic Asylum, Laurel Hill Cemetery Gatehouse, Athenaeum of Philadelphia, and the Church of the Holy Trinity.

Got your attention? Good! With only a mere 150 something days until Christmas, we thought it would be a great time to mention it’s not too early to start your holiday party planning.

Here’s a list of the benefits that comes with booking during the sizzling summer months:

Get the Date You WantThe best spaces fill up fast during the busy holiday season. By booking early you can secure the space you want before someone else does.

Save the DateWith so many holiday parties for work, friends, and family to compete with, booking early allows you to send out your holiday invitations sooner before your guests commit to other festivities.

Less Stress
Imagine having all your party planning done by August and floating through the fall months knowing that you don’t have to scramble to get things done.

Our Holiday SpecialBook by August 31st and we will provide the centerpieces and individual favors for your guests.

For more information or to schedule a tour, please contact us at 609-921-7500 or sales@nassauinn.com

In America, the Fourth of July is a pretty big deal. It’s the day in 1776 that our founding forefathers formerly declared independence from Great Britain. It was a long and hard fight to gain our freedom, but we finally managed to send the British packing in 1783. We know this because we (the Nassau Inn) were there when it all went down. And, trust me, it’s been much better since they left. So, if you love the Fourth of July as much as we do, you’ll want to know where and when to find all the nearby fireworks displays. We’ve compiled a list of celebrations within a 30 minute drive of the Nassau Inn, in order by date and distance.